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Presidents Choice

Happy December! We’re in the last days of the year and unveiling our final PC Black Label Collection box. Let’s take a closer look at these wonderful products and what we will be using to make our holiday recipe this month!

100% pure and crafted in the Beauce-Frontenac region of Quebec, this lusciously sweet Pure Maple Syrup is harvested late in the season for a heightened and deeply rich maple flavour and naturally dark colour.

I opted to go with the PC Black Label Pure Maple Syrup this month to make Maple Mousse Verrine cups. Perfect for the holiday season and easy entertaining, they’re decadent and delicious and will have your guests asking for seconds! Simple ingredients bring this beautiful dessert together in no time and can be prepared ahead of time without the fuss!

This PC Black Label Pure Maple Syrup is rich and decadent and we’ve been enjoying it in these Maple Mousse Verrines as well as on pancakes, waffles, oatmeal (yum!) ice cream and even in my morning coffee.

I hope you’ll try out my new recipe this month and let me know what you think in the comments section below or on my social media channels using my hashtag #hautesucre.

Whether you’re a home chef or an aspiring foodie, the PC Black Label Collection makes it easy to unleash your culinary curiosity and get creative. Discover the entire collection and be inspired to #PlayWithYourFood at pc.ca/blacklabel.

A must-have during the holiday season and colder weather months, add a drop or two of this refreshing pure peppermint extract to hot chocolate, cappuccino, cookies, candies, icings, and sweetened whipped cream. It’s also great massaged onto your temples to relieve a headache!

This sweet wine jelly is infused with ripe, sweet figs and dry, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon, a red wine with rich black currant and dark cherry notes. It’s the perfect pairing this holiday season, whether it’s a part of an appetizer cheese tray or brushed onto a plum or pear tart for dessert.

Known for its superior quality, the Madagascar-Bourbon vanilla bean is the most popular of all the vanilla varieties. It is highly fragrant, with desirable thin, oil-rich skin, and has sweet, smooth flavours and aromas.

I have had a chance to try these products in various recipes and I must say that my favourite item this month has been the PC Black Label Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Bean. As a Pastry Chef, this is a highly coveted item that I love to work with and always reach for before using any extracts. The flavour is rich and shines in any sweet or savory dish that it is used in. For this month, I decided to showcase my love for cranberries and vanilla bean in the form of scones. I love this time of year with the fresh cranberries and the holiday season fast approaching, these are perfect to make for a weekend brunch. They are sure to please everyone. If you’re not a fan of cranberries, you can swap them out for blueberries or raspberries. I’m excited to be hosting a giveaway for next month’s PC Black Label Collection Black Box on my Instagram feed. Read on for more information and how to enter below. Good Luck! I hope you’ll enjoy the recipe and it becomes your favourite go-to breakfast dessert. I would love to see your recreations using the hashtag, #hautesucre on your social media channels. Whether you’re a home chef or an aspiring foodie, the PC Black Label Collectionmakes it easy to unleash your culinary curiosity and get creative. Discover the entire collection and be inspired to #PlayWithYourFood at pc.ca/blacklabel.

*PC Black Label Collection December Black Box Instagram Giveaway*

Giveaway details will be posted on my Instagram account @hautesucre. Head on over to find the post of this Cranberry Vanilla Bean Scones Recipe to enter via the Instagram comments. Giveaway Rules:

The giveaway will be open for entries on Instagram from Monday November 26th, 2018 to Wednesday November 28, 2018 9:00PM EST. Please follow the instructions in the Instagram post to enter.

The winner will be chosen randomly on the morning of Thursday November 29, 2018 and contacted via Instagram direct message.

Topping:

2 tsp cream

2 tsp raw sugar

Finishing:

½ cup white chocolate, melted

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

For the Scones:

Using a sharp paring knife, slice the vanilla bean lengthwise from tip to end. Use the back of the knife to scrape out the vanilla beans. *The vanilla bean pod can be reused and added to your sugar container to make vanilla scented sugar.

Pour in the buttermilk and cranberries and stir with a fork until a soft, sticky dough forms. Turn out onto a floured surface and, with floured hands, gently knead and shape the dough, adding more flour to prevent sticking as necessary until dough comes together.

Pat out to a 9-inch (23 cm) circle or square as shown and cut into 12 wedges. Place on prepared baking sheet, at least 1-inch (2.5 cm) apart.

Topping:

Brush tops of scones with heavy cream and sprinkle with raw sugar.

Bake for 15 to 20 min, until puffed and golden.

Let cool for at least 20 min on a wire rack.

Melt the white chocolate in a heat proof bowl for 45-60 seconds on high in the microwave.

Using the tines of a fork or the back of a spoon, drizzle the white chocolate over top of the scones. Let it set for a few minutes until the chocolate sets and is no longer runny. Enjoy!

After a nice long summer break, I’m back in the kitchen experimenting with my new October PC Black Label black box where I received two jars of condiments that can be eaten tapas style or included in a recipe.

PC Black Label Hot Cherry Peppers marinated in oil are the perfect accompaniment for pizzas, pastas, grilled meats and seafood. I was particularly fond of this as I love using a wide variety of peppers in various dishes and this one is the perfect addition to this Spicy Shrimp Scampi recipe that I’m sharing with you.

PC Black Label Borettane Onions are tasty and can be used with many dishes or served as apart of an antipasto platter. I have tried them on their own and in a quiche and they have a unique balsamic vinegar flavour that isn’t too overpowering, but very pleasant and mild.

I decided to shake up my favourite shrimp scampi recipe and added the PC Black Label Hot Cherry Peppersinto the mix, it takes the dish to a whole new level! It is simple, quick and packed with flavour, its perfect for an easy weeknight meal or for a romantic date-night dinner served with your favourite wine.

Whether you’re a home chef or an aspiring foodie, thePC Black Label Collection makes it easy to unleash your culinary curiosity and get creative. Discover the entire collection and be inspired to #PlayWithYourFood at pc.ca/blacklabel.

This month’s #PresidentsChoice PC Black Label Collection box included a favourite of mine, which is PC Black Label Habanero Aioli Whipped Dressing! This velvety aioli has complex flavours of sweet mango purée, curry, and a subtly hot habanero kick. It’s a great condiment to eat with french fries, swirled into a salad dressing or used as a side replacing ketchup or mustard. It’s so versatile that I even serve it with my maple glazed salmon and my kids love it!

To make this side dish the perfect accompaniment to your meal, I have also included my recipe for Maple Glazed Salmon below. I hope you enjoy this recipe and please feel free to tag your recreations with #hautesucre, I would love to see them.

Whether you’re a home chef or an aspiring foodie, the PC Black Label Collection makes it easy to unleash your culinary curiosity and get creative. Discover the entire collection and be inspired to #PlayWithYourFood at pc.ca/blacklabel

Chocolate is one of my favourite ingredients to bake with and this deliciously easy tart is no exception. I used dark chocolate as it pairs amazingly well with the Toasted Sesame Caramel Dessert Sauce from #PresidentsChoice.

When I received this month’s box I was delighted to see 2 ingredients that I really love, which are Passion fruit and Caramel. The PC Black Label Passion Fruit Condiment is quite heavenly in the sense that it works well as a vinaigrette poured onto salad or glazed on your BBQ shrimp.

Toasted Sesame Caramel Dessert Sauce

The Toasted Sesame Caramel Dessert Sauce is the perfect consistency of a runny caramel speckled with flecks of toasted sesame seeds (genius!) and pairs well with so many desserts including pouring it on your favorite ice cream, spread on crepes and my personal favourite used as a filling for a dark chocolate tart.

When I opened jar of toasted sesame caramel, I was amazed how smooth the texture was and the right amount of sesame. Instantaneously, a thought of a traditional chocolate tart with caramel center emerged and I became challenged to make a tart that would compliment the sesame flavor. The idea of using dark chocolate was my first option as it is not overly sweet and would complement the sweet caramel. The toasted sesame hardly gets the attention it deserves as it flavor is not overbearing. The caramel sauce inspired me to decorate the tart with a hard set caramel, but can be served on its own or dusted with cocoa powder.

Another suggestion if your willing to take a chance is to add espresso and cinnamon to the tart mixture. I have fond memories of travelling through Italy and being served a dark chocolate square with my shot of espresso. The espresso’s bitterness is followed by a sweet but not having the fatty texture of milk chocolate to remove the after taste of the espresso. In this recipe, I have added both ingredients.

As we roll into the second month of #PlayWithYourFood #PCBlackLabel campaign with #PresidentsChoice, I want to share some exciting news! President’s Choice has offered to giveaway a #PCBLACKLABEL BLACK BOX for you to win on my Instagram account! You can win 2 delicious #PCBlackLabel products in addition to a $50 gift card! How exciting is that? In order to enter the contest, you will need to go to my Instagram page.

The contest will run until June 28that which time a winner will be selected randomly. Good luck! *This contest is open to Canadian residents only.

Whether you’re a home chef or an aspiring foodie, the PC Black Label Collection makes it easy to unleash your culinary curiosity and get creative. Discover the entire collection and be inspired to #PlayWithYourFood at pc.ca/blacklabel.

DARK CHOCOLATE TART WITH TOASTED SESAME CARAMEL RECIPE

* This recipe makes enough for a standard 8 to 9 inch round tart pan.

It’s important to use a spring form pan (or tart ring) with a removal base for easy baking and removal of the tart and source out high quality ingredients as it produces the best flavours and will quickly get noticed by your guests.

The steps are very straightforward and relatively easy to put together. Just be sure to chill the tart dough until its firm enough for you to roll out. Once it’s baked, be sure it is completely cooled before adding the caramel sauce. Finally, another important note is to ensure that the caramel is hardened (slightly) or really cold before adding the layer of chocolate ganache otherwise the chocolate will mix into the caramel.

Instructions:

Chop the butter and add it to the flour bowl mixture, crumbling it into the flour making pea sized crumbs.

Work the ingredients quickly until they come together creating a pliable dough. Do not over mix, you should still see little pats of butter throughout.

Shape the dough into a disk and flatten

Wrap with plastic wrap and chill until ready to use.

Chocolate Ganache:

1 cup cold whipping cream
2 cups dark chocolate, chopped

In a microwave safe bowl, warm the cream until just boiling – about 1-2 minutes, depending on your microwave.

Carefully remove and add the chopped chocolate.

Let it sit for 1 minute.

Whisk gently until incorporated and set aside.

Bake the Tart:

Preheat oven to 375°F

Butter an 8″ or 9″ spring form pan or tart ring and set aside.

On a floured work surface, roll out the dough to 1″ thickness and line the tart ring or pan. Ensure you bring up the dough on the sides that’s deep enough to hold the caramel filling and the chocolate ganache, approximately 2-3 inches in height.

Use a fork and gently indent the dough all over to create tiny little holes.

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes until cooked through.

With the back of a spoon, push down the base of the tart to ensure it is flat and no holes remain (they should be baked through).

Let the tart shell cool completely.

Assembly:

Pour the caramel in an even layer in the tart base and refrigerate or freeze until set and it’s no longer runny.

Once chilled completely, remove and pour the chocolate ganache over top the caramel and smooth out with a spatula quickly as it will start immediately.

Return to the refrigerator until completely set.

Remove 20 minutes before serving and use a hot knife to slice through the tart. Rinse the knife and repeat. This ensures you get clean slices each time you cut into it.

Enjoy!

If you make this recipe please share and use my hashtag, #hautesucre on the social media channels, as I would love to see them!

(This post is sponsored by President’s Choice. I used their PC Black Label Toasted Sesame Caramel Dessert Sauce to make this easy Dark Chocolate Tart.)

(This post is sponsored by President’s Choice. I used their PC Black Label Peperoncini Piccanti to make these Spicy Eggs)

If you know me, spicy eggs are my favourite! I can eat them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I love eggs! But this post isn’t about my love of eggs but of a recipe I created just for you using this amazing #PCBlackLabel Peperoncini Picante. The heat in these chili’s is unbelievably hot and complements this egg dish superbly.

When #PresidentsChoice asked me to partner with them for their #PCBlackLabel products, I knew it would be a good fit as I love to try new products and incorporate them into new recipes. It allows me to be CREATIVE and it’s always fun to #PlayWithYourFood!

Whether you’re a home chef or an aspiring foodie, the PC Black Label Collection makes it easy to unleash your culinary curiosity and get creative. Discover the entire collection and be inspired to #PlayWithYourFood at pc.ca/blacklabel.

If you like a little bit of heat with your breakfast, I hope you’ll try this. I’ve made it healthy and hearty with the addition of spinach and potatoes.

The recipe feeds two people but can easily be doubled by adding more eggs. I hope you’ll enjoy it and please tag your recipe creations with my hashtag, #hautesucre so that I can see them. Bon Appetit!

Lower the heat to the minimum setting and spread the mixture evenly in the pan, creating 2-3 wells or indents for the eggs.

Crack the eggs into the indents and cover the pan with the lid. Poach the eggs on low heat for 3-4 minutes until the eggs are cooked though but the yolks are still runny. Transfer to a plate and enjoy!